When the Dark One Runs
by Sarahmouse
Summary: Zelena controls Rumpelstiltskin. He must learn running isn't an option.


The cell door was left wide open. The lock barely hanging onto the hinge. Bits of straw made a path up and out of the cellar doors. He left the spindle. Rumpelstiltskin wanted to break something. To feel the crunching beneath his feet but he couldn't bare to brake the spindle. The voices in his head kept telling him it was okay, it wasn't his spindle. They said that he should break it. Instead he ran.

The voices continued to shout. But now they didn't have one thing to focus on. The voices created a symphony of varying people. Words building off of each other.  
"Run faster or she'll get you. Get us." "Stop running!" "Papa, please, find me."  
"Kill the witch."  
"Stab the child."  
"Make everyone pay." "Don't give into your hate."

Zelena found the cage as Rumpel had left it. Empty, except for the spindle which took center stage. She turned away from the useless room. The Charmings would soon arrive at her cottage. At least now she wouldn't have to move Rumpel. Now she simply had to summon him whenever the proper time presented itself. Not yet, but soon. He might have helped her plans in the short term but he would have to be punished. He couldn't just brake free when he wished. She couldn't let him think he was free from her just yet. She still needed him.

The sun was setting. Turning the sky from light blue to scarlet. Rumpelstiltskin shuttered at the color, "Ogres Wars all over again" One of the voices reminded him as if he needed to be reminded of that part of his past. As if he couldn't remember any of that past on his own. He stopped completely when the voice faded out along with all the others. One clear voice replaced them. It was Zelena, "Dark One I summon thee to me."

She stood in front of the clock tower. Watching as all of Storybrooke kneeled at her feet. Her monkeys taking care of those who had fought her, all except two. She kept Neal and Belle by her side. They would be Rumpel's punishment.

He tried to stay away but her voice was too strong. It became too loud. Crippling, making him feel the part of coward all over again. So Rumpel popped out of the forest to stand by her in front of the clock tower.

"You ran away, Rumpelstiltskin. I can't have you do that again." Her voice echoed in his head. The other voices took a backseat to hers. "You were not necessary in my taking of Storybrooke. But I can't have you fly away again." She began to circle around him, "Look."

Snow, Charming, Emma, and Regina were all lined up. They stood in front of the kneeling crowd. But he only had eyes for his family. A monkey for his son and another guarded his wife.

Zelena bent close, "I'd like you to choose."

"Choose?"

"Which one will die, of course."

Rumpel's eyes went wide. The voices in his head shouted their own ideas. He could not except this. Would not except this, "Neither."

She laughed, "You don't have a choice. Someone will die for your actions."

"Then let it be me." For the first time since Zelena took his dagger Rumpel was strong. Trying to let go of the part he was always given; coward. But the voices were only getting louder. They begged for death. They begged to be saved. Some voted to lose Belle and others voted to kill Bae. But Rumpel payed them no mind and repeated, louder so all of Storybrooke could hear him, "Let it be me."

"If you don't choose I'll just have to pick one of them myself."

Rumpelstiltskin forced the voices to be silent. He looked from Belle to Neal and back again. He couldn't choose between them, "Please." He was quiet, already knowing his words would change nothing but he needed to try. Needed to be brave for them. "They don't deserve to die for my misdeeds. I...I can't let you kill my son simply because he shares my blood. I won't lose Belle. I can't." He looked to Zelena and she stared back. Rumpel knew he needed to appeal to a different audience.

He looked to the Charmings. They had been fighting throughout all of their lives. Certainly they couldn't be giving up now. But before he could even make his pleas to them Zelena stepped before him.

She held the dagger, "Choose one of them. Now."

The voices in his head resumed arguing. They knew he had to choose even if he denied it. "You became what you are for Bae. Save him."  
"Save Belle. Catch her."  
"Both should die."  
"Run. Run. Run. Don't choose. Never choose."  
"Choose one of them. Now."

He yelled till the voices left his head. Till his mind was his own. "I'm so sorry," his voice shook. "After all I have been. All that I've done. I never deserved you. You showed me love in a world of darkness. You always gave me strength. But Belle, I can't-"

"I know, Rumpel. I love you. Save your son." She smiled one last time before Zelena went to her side. She tried to move to Rumpel. Her arm was outstreched when the Dark One's dagger plunged into her stomach. It came out covered in her blood and once it was removed she fell to her knees. Clutching at the wound she looked up at her husband, "Sometimes the best teacups are chipped." With those final words Belle slumped to the ground, lifeless.

"Pity you won't be saving your son today." Before Rumpel could protest. Before he could even blink. Zelena stood behind Neal. She clutched the dagger tighter and slid it across the boy's throat.

"Papa-" Neal sounded so young in that moment as if he was still only a child. He couldn't finish a thought let alone speak it before he fell in front of Zelena's feet.

Emma struggled against the monkey holding her. She screamed and kicked. And eventually fell limp in its arms.

Snow tried to get to her daughter. And Henry tried to break free of the crowd of townspeople, to run to his recently found father.

Rumpelstiltskin saw none of it. He heard even less of the crowd's struggles. The scene played over and over in his head. Picking Belle only to see both her and his son die. Their blood painting the library steps. "How appropriate", one of his voices mocked yet even that was barely noticed.

Zelena bent down and wiped the blood off the blade using the back of Neal's jacket. When it was finally clean, Zelena walked in front of Rumpelstiltskin. She leaned in and placed a kiss on his check, "Never run from me. Never leave me again or I'll destroy what's left of your family. It would be a pity for your grandson to lay here as well, don't you think?"  



End file.
